Chapter 154: Binks's Brew

Chapter 154: Binks's Brew

"Eh, what's this?"

Luffy casually caught the letter Kuma threw, looking it over while stuffing food into his mouth.

The others all got up and gathered behind him, except for Zoro and Robin, who had already eavesdropped.

Both of them had grave expressions, looking as if they were deep in thought.

They both knew that Luffy's father was Dragon, the World Government's number one criminal. With this connection, he shouldn't be receiving a Warlord invitation.

However, what they didn't know was that the Bartholomew Kuma before them was once a cadre of the Revolutionary Army.

To the Five Elders, what they valued more was the benefit one could bring. As for identity, as long as they didn't announce it, who would know?

At worst, after they were done using them, they could just secretly eliminate them later.

"Invitation to the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea?" Luffy read the contents of the letter aloud.

"What!!"

Upon hearing this, Franky and the others behind him stared with wide eyes on the spot!

The Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea, known as one of the Three Great Powers on the seas along with the Marine Headquarters and the Four Emperors!

This terrifying title, the Warlords who were once so high above them, was now going to fall upon their heads?

And the invited party was this goofy captain in front of them?

"Hey, hey, hey, is this for real?!"

"This is the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

Usopp's eyes widened. His gaze swept back and forth over the letter, finding it hard to believe from any angle that the World Government would invite Luffy.

"Do you know what this means, Luffy!"

Usopp's face was filled with excitement as he grabbed Luffy's shoulders and shook him repeatedly.

"This is an invitation that only pirates who can command awe in a region can receive! If you become a Warlord, the Marines will never chase us again, and you'll also gain great fame and status!"

"Only pirates who can command awe in a region can receive it, huh? Sounds pretty amazing," Luffy grinned cheekily.

"But correspondingly, you also have to bear some responsibilities. This fame and status are granted by the World Government, so sometimes you need to act according to their instructions."

On the sofa nearby, Robin put down her book and spoke faintly, "That's why on the seas, many people call the Warlords the dogs of the World Government."

"What's that about? Then I don't want it," Luffy looked at the letter in his hand with disdain.

"You're refusing just like that?!"

"So fast!"

"Wait a minute, Luffy, there's no need to be so decisive, right? Do you want to reconsider? It's the Warlords, after all."

The others all spoke up. Being a Warlord still had many benefits, like not having to face the clingy Marines everywhere they went.

Moreover, many of their actions as pirates could be legalized, which could provide them with a lot of convenience.

"Hee hee hee, let's just forget it. That stinky Crocodile and that big onion-head were both Warlords, right? I don't want to become like them."

Luffy bared his teeth in an innocent smile, then turned to look at the others and added, "Besides, I want to be the Pirate King. If I become a Warlord, I can't be the Pirate King, can I?"

"That's also true..."

Sanji raised a hand to his chin, looking at him incredulously. "I never thought your brain could be this sharp sometimes."

On the Merry.

"How did you know for sure that Luffy would refuse?"

Nami looked at Reiner. She had been quite shocked when she heard the news.

"The Royal Seven Warlords (Shichibukai), well, Luffy wants to be the King (Ō), not someone 'under the king' (Ōka)."

Reiner said nonchalantly. He had thought about suggesting Luffy accept first, and then backstab them during the Summit War!

As for the so-called obeying the World Government's orders...

Don't be ridiculous. Which of the real Warlords would listen to those clowns?

However, that was his style of doing things. Luffy obviously wouldn't think about these things. As long as he knew he would be constrained by others, his one-track mind would absolutely never agree.

"True."

Nami smiled faintly, walked to the second-floor balcony, opened the dormitory door, and then turned back to pull his hand. "After all, that's Luffy. Come in with me."

"Wait a minute, this isn't quite right."

Reiner pulled his hand back, waved it, and gave a sheepish smile. "Doing this kind of thing in the girls' dormitory isn't appropriate."

"Stop pretending. I bet you've been itching for it. What are you thinking? I just want you to come in and sleep with me for a while," Nami rolled her eyes and said irritably.

"Oh, okay then," Reiner followed her in, his interest piqued.

Nami's bunk was by the window, a white bedspread covering a blue waterbed mattress.

Beside it was Robin's bunk. The two girls probably had many late-night talks.

The boys' and girls' dormitories were the same size. Although there were only two people here, the extensive decorations made it feel cozy.

After changing into a cute set of pajamas, Nami returned to the bed and fell into a peaceful sleep in Reiner's embrace.

After a full day and night of turmoil, she was physically and mentally exhausted. She didn't have that monstrous constitution.

Nami's forehead rested against his chest. She closed her eyes serenely, slowly drifting into dreamland in the warmth.

Only after her breathing became steady did Reiner slip away, tucked Nami in, and then went out onto the deck.

Leaving the Frieren undead and the Blue and Red Ogres to stand guard, he mounted his falcon and flew back to the island.

By now, Kuma was gone. He had also directly ignored the Five Elders' order to eliminate the Straw Hat crew, simply taking Moria with him and leaving.

He originally had the idea of testing Luffy's comrades, but after seeing their strength, he gave up on it. If a real fight broke out, he would probably be the one left behind.

Unknowingly, the Straw Hat crew had grown to such a height.

Years ago, he had gone to Foosha Village in the East Blue, hiding in the forest, secretly observing Luffy.

At that time, Luffy was just a naive boy. Now, he had become the captain of a formidable pirate crew, supported by a host of powerful and famous subordinates.

"Should I say, as expected of your son, Dragon? He will surely become a great pirate in the future."

Kuma murmured to himself, holding two wanted posters in his hand.

One was of a grinning Luffy. The other was of a girl with long pink hair and golden rings under her eyes.

Captain of the Bonney Pirates, "Big Eater" Jewelry Bonney, bounty: 140,000,000 Berries!

"You've become a great pirate too."

A corner of Kuma's mouth slowly curved up, a gentle smile appearing on his rugged face.

Pop!

The next moment, a crisp sound was heard. Kuma, along with Moria, vanished from the spot.

"Alright! Let's get ready for a banquet!"

In the dining hall, by the messy table, Luffy raised his fists and shouted excitedly.

Sanji took a drag from his cigarette, slowly blew out a smoke ring, and shook his head helplessly. "Didn't we just finish eating? I seriously suspect you have a bottomless pit for a stomach."

"Hee hee hee, what does it matter? Everyone is so happy, and we have to celebrate the addition of a new nakama. You'll join us, right?"

Luffy grinned cheekily and looked at Brook.

"Yohohohoho~~, thank you very much for the invitation, Captain Luffy. I am also looking forward to adventuring with everyone. However, before that, I need to fulfill a promise with a companion first."

Brook smiled faintly. "He's a whale. Back then, we couldn't bring the young him through the treacherous Grand Line, so we could only leave him at the Twin Capes."

"At that time, we made a promise that after we circumnavigated the world, we would go back to find him."

"However, the dangers of the Grand Line far exceeded our imagination. Along the way, my companions passed away one by one. Now, fifty years have passed, and of the former Rumbar Pirates, only this skeleton of mine remains. But I haven't forgotten for a moment. I don't know if he is still waiting patiently..."

"He's still waiting for you."

A sudden statement interrupted him. Luffy revealed a calm smile. "You're talking about Laboon, right?"

Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp also all looked over.

"...N-no... that's right... How did you know? Could it be that..."

Brook stared blankly at Luffy, his tone gradually becoming excited. "Have you met Laboon? How is he? Is he doing well now? You said he's still waiting for us?!"

"Yeah, we've met Laboon. He's doing great. And there's the broom-head old man too. Laboon hasn't forgotten his promise with you. He's still waiting for you," Luffy said with a grin.

"I see..."

From Brook's empty skull sockets, hot tears streamed down uncontrollably.

This promise that had spanned half a century...

Although he didn't know if the other party still remembered, didn't know if the other party had already given up, they were both silently holding on.

Across half the world, this connection remained as strong as gold.

"Yohohohoho~~"

Brook laughed so hard his teeth chattered, yet his eyes were welling with tears.

"...Laboon, it's so good to hear that you're safe. My tightly clenched heart finally seems to be beating again. Although... although I'm a skeleton and have no heart! Wuwu~~"

"Waaah! This is too touching, you bastard!!"

Franky was crying his eyes out. "Even though you're a skeleton, you're so full of flesh and blood! You're so SUPER!!"

Brook, all alone, on a ghost ship filled with the corpses of his former companions, endured the dual impact of joyous and sorrowful memories every day, persevering like this for fifty years.

How lonely he must have been. Chopper and Usopp were washing their faces with tears.

"Hee hee hee, come with me, Brook. Let's circle the Grand Line, and then go back and meet Laboon. Didn't you guys promise that?" Luffy grinned, extending his invitation to him once more.

"Yes..."

Brook covered his face with his hands, tears continuously sliding through his slender finger bones, dripping and wetting the ground.

At night, the banquet began as scheduled. Besides the Straw Hat Pirates, Lola and the people from the forest also joined the party.

"Let's toast to our new nakama, Brook!"

"Cheers!!!"

The entire ghost castle was no longer sinister, only filled with the clinking of glasses and joyous laughter.

"Make way, make way, food's coming through!!"

"Wuwuwu! Curly-brows' cooking is too amazing!"

"I've never eaten such delicious food in my life!"

"Where's the booze, where's the booze! Bring on the booze!"

Zoro yelled at Sanji, only to be met with the latter's rough reply.

"Get it yourself, Moss-head! I'm not obligated to serve you!"

"Everyone is so happy."

Looking at the trio of clowns with chopsticks in their mouths, dancing on the table, Nami couldn't help but feel overjoyed. She then turned her head and asked, "By the way, where did you go later?"

"I went to find the corpse of a giant named Oars," Reiner said, taking a sip of his drink and putting the glass down on the table. His gaze fell upon Brook not far away.

By a piano, slender fingertips danced rapidly across the keys.

A Tone Dial, which had recorded the final, desperate chorus of the Rumbar Pirates' members, was placed on the piano, singing out loud.

"Yohohohoho~~, yohohohoho~~."

"Delivering Binks's Brew to you~~, we ride the wind, and we ride the waves~~"

The song was melodious. The sound of the chorus, the interweaving instruments, grew less and less.

A quintet... a trio... a piano solo...

The sound from the Tone Dial gradually faded, as if one could see the figures of the severely injured crew members, one by one, singing loudly as they fell.

The still impassioned song of their companions before death, recorded on this one Tone Dial, entrusted to him who possessed the Revive-Revive Fruit, waiting for the day he could bring everyone's voices back to Laboon.

The sound from the Tone Dial slowly vanished, but the singing in the living room grew louder and more resonant.

Eras change, the old replaced by the new, as if the scene from back then was re-enacted before their eyes.

Brook's hands danced ceaselessly. He looked at the lively crowd around him, just as he had been with his companions.

The inheritance of will, passed down from generation to generation, never to be extinguished.

(End of chapter)

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